Miss Kate Arnold's Virginia Roots

63 Pages·2010·9.15 MB·English

This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

Miss Kate Arnold's
Virginia Roots
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

Kate Brockenbrough Arnold
(1879 - 1968)
"Miss Kate," as she was affectionately known at the Sheridan Inn in Sheridan, Wyoming, was
born 29 May 1879 at "Willow Hill," the Arnold family ancestral home in the little town of King
George, King George County, Virginia, to Dr. Thomas Thornton Arnold, MD, and Mary
Randolph Brockenbrough Arnold. "Willow Hill" was updated with different looks over the
years but sadly in 2008, it was tom down to make way for a subdivision of new homes. The
cemetery, however, still sits at the comer of Kennedy and Van Buren Streets in the adjoining
subdivision of Presidential Lakes.
The humid climate of Virginia created a health problem, asthma, for Kate, so on July 190 I, at the
age of twenty-one, she traveled to Sheridan, Wyoming, where she took on a number of different
jobs at the Sheridan Inn that lasted over 60 years. She held such positions as desk clerk,
housekeeper, hostess, baby sitter, and seamstress. On occasions when Buffalo Bill Cody and his
entourage would stay at the Inn, one can speculate that Miss Kate used her seamstress talents
many times.
Her life at the Inn, as well as the many people she met there, are documented in a booklet of her
memoirs entitled, "Miss Kate Remembers," and sold in the Sheridan Inn's Gift Shop.
Many articles have been published over the years in the Sheridan newspapers and her name,
searched on various web browsers. brings to the reader many interesting stories of her life.
The March 2, 1968, issue of the Sheridan Press reported the death of "Miss Kate" the day before
at the Eventide Nursing Home. The lovely article outlined her life in Sheridan and her
relationships not only to the Inn but also in the Sheridan County Chapter of the Wyoming State
Historical Society and St. Peter's Episcopal Church. In her will she requested her body be
cremated. They, in turn, were interred in the wall of the room she occupied in the Inn when it
was renovated by the Sheridan County Chapter (Preceptor Tau) of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority.
Kate Arnold left many Arnold relatives in Virginia, including her parents, but some of her
siblings lived nearer to Wyoming. Her brother, John (Jack) Arnold was a partner with George
W. Brewster in the Quarter Circle U Ranch in Birney, Montana. Her brother, Thomas Randolph
Arnold, worked for several years in the same area of Montana before returning to the East Coast.
Her sister, Frances Arnold Byfield lived in Langdon, North Dakota, before moving back to
Mathews County, Virginia, to live next to their sister, Austina Arnold Hobday. Another sister,
Mary Gray Arnold, moved to Riverside, California and held a position in the Sherman Institute.
an Indian School.
Included in this booklet are a number of items collected over the years by Ann Arnold Hennings
and Delores Hoge Shea for all to enjoy.
September 2010 - by Miss Kate's cousins
Ann Arnold Hennings Delores Hoge Shea
20 Philips Court 6262 Townsend Drive
Strasburg, V A 22657 King George. V A 22485
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

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This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
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– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
OF'
KATE fl. ARNOLD
I, KATE B. ARNOLD, a/k/a KATY B. ARNOLD, -a/ te/ a KATHERNINE
B. ARNOLD, of ti", City and COllilty of Sheridail, State of \Vyorning, haing 01
legal. a~e and good health and of sound and disposi!'lg mind and memory, hereby
t.:,i" flly Lar;t WiH and Testament as follows:
1'111)11,011
FIRST.
I direet that as soon aftel' IT'Y death as it iil pl'aetical t.o do 80, ail of r, y
la'llIlil dehts, inciu,ilng funeral expenses, be paid; I direct my body be eren',aled.
SECOND.
I give, (ieville and bequeath all of my Ili'Oped y of evel'y kind <<llli ellal'adcl'
,,j' ,vllie;'! I am nDW seized dllel 1,OiJ::i8ilsed, or tu whie\! I n,ay lJe entit12ct to, to n;~;
"
bdo'!2d lJ\'oth';r, Julm AlllOld, of Birney, lvlontuna, j state that 1 am the l'eeipient
01 iJeqn,"s[::; fl'om the r~"tate of Hal' f'y MeCol' m iek and the Estate of Rob'el't P. Be I;art,
and t!tal I haVe other personal property located il1 Siler idan, Wyorn lng,
THIRD,
ill the evellt lily uEolc)fed br other, John Al'IlOtd, should fail to survive f,',e,
cl:e Sll(,ultaueLll.lsly in, or as a l'e3ult. of O',f; same accident, easilalty or uLsast..;l',
1I0W s~ized anCi J)ossessed, togethel' with all property to which I am entitled:. t.o my
lleloved niece, Gladys Hol:,day Sherman, of Riehmond, Virginia. It io my wi.'ih
tI',at l,',y said niece dispose of my estate as she thinks fit.
FflTfRTH
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
B, ARNOLD, of tlIe City and County of Sheridan, State of \Vyomi"g, heing 01
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

l~e.a; ate and e;ood iJi~aitli an.:l of sound and disposing mind and memory, her eby
" .! "'ng "lll i"ilL; Clnd cOllicils previously mad;~ by me, do h.orahy r"ake and
PUl)j,,,il Uli;; 'Ily Last Wi.ll and Testament as follows:
FIRST.
I dired that as 5(,011 after my d,':ath as it is lii'actical to do so, ail 01 H .y
lawful dei)ts, iilcluJing fUI12rai expenses, be paid, I direct my body be cren',al,:,d.
SECOND.
I give, devise and bequeath all of my p;'o[,el'ty of every killd and cl,al'aet",·
,',I wilie;' I am now seized and (lossessed, or to witict. . I l-.-,ay be ei1titled to, to my
il,do'!ad tn'other, ,r,jlm A, n01d, of Birney, Montalla. '( sta~e Ulat I am tile l'eeipiellt.
"I i)8ql1.~sts from th8 ii:stat8 of Harry MCCOl' iT! ick and the Estate! of RObert P. E<:i\art,
and lila! I !lavE other personal prOiJert~T located in Shel'idafl, Wyom ingo
III the eVe!Ilt Illy lJ810'yed tn'other, JolIn Ai'noid, should faii lo survive r,le,
(lie s ll"ultalleous ly in, 01' as a re.3uH of t\',,, 3ame accident, casualty or ciiliashr,
tile" 1, in [ike manlier, gi'l8 devi3c and b0queatb all vI the j)]'operty of whieil I a.t',;
110'.\' s<:i~ed and fJOSSessed, together with all property to which I am entil:led, lo my
iJelovect niece, Gladys Hobday Sharma!l, of Richmond, Virginia, It i.s my "fi.:;1<
li,ai ,''v ,;aid Ilieee disliose of my estate as sile thinks fito
FOURTH.
- - _ .. --'-
I nOl',l'inale and "PPoint rny belov2d Lt'other, John At'nold, a;, [JOl2 E;:ecutor
u1 ti,:,; my Last 0/i11 and Testan:enl, a1Ll dii';;ct that he S3rve without !'0nJ. In tilE
eve,lt illy beloved bl'l}ther, John Arnold, is unable to serve 01' for some reason
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This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

refuses to do so, I appoint as Alternate Executor, Burton Brj2wster of Birney,
Montana, and direct that he serve in like manner without bond.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I subscribe my hand hereto in duplicate original
and initial each typewritten page hereof in the presence of the wit.nesses whose name
are below subscr ibed and to whom I declare this to be m)! Last Will and Teatam ent
,:1
, ' , 0/
tilis 5th day of May, 1(l8'7.
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//11 '} i r-tL' (:/
-- ---- ' KATEB~ ARNOLb- -
On tile 5th clay of May, 196rl, KATE B. ARNOLD appeared before us, the
unders igl1ed, anel declared to us that the forego ing instrument was her Last Will
and Testament, consisting of two (2) typewritten pages, inclusive of this, a11e1 she
requested us to ad as witnesses to the same and to her signature hereon. She
thereupon signed said Will in our presence, being present at the same time, and we
do now, at her request, in her presence and in the presence of each other, herein
subscribe our Ilames as witnesses and we, anel each of us, declare that we believe
that this Testatrix is of sound mind and memory.
--)
~~C{ -!.,L,_£.,::-:~L_L"!';;;7_0:k (_~(_,;_C2_-, ____ r eSiding at Sher idan,Wyoming,
-.:.L./- eE -.;:/ ,..- ;--'
,,¢<, -, .- resieling at Sheridan, Wy:mling.
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

"Willow Hill"
Arnold Home
King George, Virginia
Dr. Thomas Arnold's
office at
"Willow Hill"
King George, Virginia
This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

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This can be found in the Bio Files @ THE Wyoming Room
– Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library – 335 West Alger – Sheridan WY 82801 (307-674-8585 x 7)

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